‘Mother Sally’, ‘Mad Bull’, ‘Long Lady’; the emergence of the masquerade band was the signal that Christmas had officially started. Children pay keen attention to roadways in the hopes that they would see the flouncers, but ran and hid if the band had a ‘Mad Bull’ and a ‘Mother Sally’. Clearly, the skilled performers were the ‘Long Ladies’ (men on stilts which made them over seven feet tall, dressed as women complete with mask and wig) and the flouncers who could pick up a coin from the road without missing a step. For the adults it was the flautist and they would request that he perform solo, for which he was given an extra tip.
Masquerade bands have been traced to the days of slavery. Slave masters would allow their African slaves to play their “strange” music and dance, they being entertained in the process. Historically masquerade band performed with the blessings of the masters. The Ashanti tribe and other Africans were known to use the ‘tom tom’ drums to speak to fellow slaves and to plan uprisings and that drum soon became a banned item. The penalty for being found with one was severe. However, the masters believed that British-type regimental drums could not be used for “speaking” and these became the musical instruments of the slaves along with the flutes. Similarly, the colourful breast-plate type tops used by flouncers have a British origin.
The masquerade band has its own means of self-discipline, and that the man who controls the boom in effect controls the masquerade band. The band leader would stop the music with a shout of “batto!” Then he would chant:
“Christmas comes but once a year,
And ev’ry man mus have he share,
Poor Uncle Willie in de jail,
Drinking sour ginger beer.
Music!”
It was standard for the masquerader, flouncing with his palms outstretched, to not wear a smile. This is traditional, and the explanation is that the flouncer is coming to you to fulfil a need, and the absence of a smile often symbolises a state of sorrow more than one of passion.
In days of yore masquerade band took to the streets some two weeks before Christmas, and this exercise was carried out in all wards of the city. Their reward was frequently coins tossed at their feet, for which the flouncers were required to perform extra. Sometimes they received notes for their efforts.
Traditionally, band leaders would forge a path through areas with rum shops where they were certain to find a generous audience. “Often, the rum shop owner would throw in, for good measure, a drink for the boys,” Pilgrim said.
Masquerade performances today are but a shadow of what Christmas masquerade meant in years gone by. The ‘Mother Sally’ and ‘Long Lady’ are rarely seen. The ‘Mad Bull’ has survived, but not enough time and care are taken with this costume as before. The old time masquerade also had glass eaters and acrobats, both of which have long disappeared from these bands.
The masquerade, though known to operate mainly in Demerara, with a tendency to gravitate towards the city, also existed in other areas. A survey conducted in the late seventies disclosed that there were some ten masquerade bands in the Essequibo area.
It was said that the Essequibo masquerade had other novelties thrown in for good measure. These included the ‘Monkey’, ‘Pregnant Woman’ and the ‘Doctor’.
In the past month, it was clearly seen that there was a decrease in the amount of masquerade bands as compared to the days of old. However, as compared to recent years, there was a slight increase but the creativity and numbers of flouncers has vastly decreased. It is our only hope that this trend sees a positive turn in the coming years.
